Bee-hive



2 Sheets-Sheet i A. BARNHART.

Bee Hive.

No. 228,801. Patented June 15,1880.

' VICE).

FIGJ/ FIG-.2,

N.PE|'ERS. PHOTO LIT) OGRAPH UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT BARNHART, OF MILTON, WISCONSIN.

BEE-HIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,801, dated June 15, 1880.

Application filedSeptcmber 30, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT BARNHART, of Milton, in the county of Rock and State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bee-Hives and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to I which it appertains to make and use the same,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention contemplates improvements in bee-hives, more especially the comb-frames and their racks, having for its object to cond uce to the working action of the bees; and it consists of the construction of the comb-frame racks with backs open at their lower ends adapted to permit of the working-bees entering their box'es while excluding the queen, substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly, broken away, of a bee-hive embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is an end and a side view of one of the comb frame supports. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the hive. Figs. 5, 6, and S are. detail views; and Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the hive.

A is the house, composed of the body a and removable cover or upper section, a, fitting upon the lower section or body, a. The lower section has its bottom provided with a number of drop-doors, a a with their rear ends connected to the house by screws, which permit of the raising and lowering of the doors, the outer ends of the latter providing alightingplatforms for the bees, and the openings between the said ends of the platform and the house forming the bee-entrances. This portion of the house is divided into three compartments-a brood or middle compartment and two side or surplus comb-frame or honeybox compartmentsthe division being made by the partitions c c, with arms 0 for hanging them in position, which rest upon a shoulder, (0 upon the inside of the house.

I) I) are comb-frames hung in the central or brood chamber, with their books b resting at their points upon the shoulder (d. The upper bars of these frames are adapted, by having their under sides provided with tapering ribs W, to permit of the bees working expeditiously thereon in forming their combs.

The lower ends of the frames, as is common, are left open for the unobstructed passage of the bees thereto.

b b are the surplus-honey or comb frames, preferably formed in part by bending each, as clearly shown in Fig. 8, from the piece f, with -an opening, f left between its upper ends,

while said ends are united upon the under side by a less width ofstrip, f, for the passage of the bees. b are their racks, hung in the side conipartments ofthe hive orhouseby means of. hooks b resting upon the shoulder a the same as the brood or main chamber frames. These racks are open at the upper end and'divided into two compartments by the horizontal dividing-bar 11 while each compartment is provided with a back, N, with an opening, I), left between the lower edge of the back of the upper compartment and the partition or bar I), and a similar opening, I), between the lower edge of the back of the lower compartment and the lower or bottom bar of the rack. These openings are only sufficiently large to permit of the passage of the working -bees, while they exclude the queens.

In the upper section of the house is a rack or perforated or slatted receptacle, ag and in this receptacle areplaced surplus honcy frames (1.

It will be noticed that the compartment-partitions c are also provided with packing-strips c which fit snugly against the sides of the hive or house.

a is the dead-air space or chamber.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent In a bee-hive, the rack b having the horizontal partition I) and back I)", with an opening, 1), between the lower edge of said back and the partition 1), adapted in size to permit of the ingress of the working-bees, but excluding the queens, as shown and'set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT BARNHART. 

